Book Review: Finish the Damn Book!: An Inspirational Guide to Writing

This book is one of the best books I’ve read on writing. Period. It doesn’t dig into the nitty gritty of grammar, or the publishing game, or getting your name out there (though it does touch on all this and more), but it cuts right to the core of what it means to write, and to be a writer.

Author’s Summary: This isn’t about grammar or syntax, it’s a wake up call for anyone who wants to write a book.

First Impressions: Mr. McConnell actually messaged me first. I had sent him a link to my List of Super Helpful Things, and he jokingly asked if his book was on it. I said no, but that I’d happily check it out. From the very first sentence, I was hooked.

“I’m Not A Bestselling Author, and outside of the bar Chip’s Daquiries in Opelousas, Louisiana, nobody ever spots me and comes running up with a book in their hands, asking for a signature (okay, there was that one time in St. Louis).” – Martin McConnell, Finish the Damn Book!

This was someone I can relate to! He’s a few steps ahead of me in the game, but this is a Real Person, and a Writer. This is what I need!

What I Loved: This book is brutal. McConnell holds no punches back, and digs right down into every writers biggest insecurities. Writer’s Block? Nothing but an excuse. No time to write? Shut off the tv, and get off youtube. I hate social media? Too bad, you’re going to need it. This is exactly how I feel about writing, and exactly what I needed to hear. Most of us writer’s are an emotional bunch, and McConnell skirts right on that edge of being ‘mean’, without falling over. It’s also pretty short (80 pages) so it isn’t something you have to commit hours and hours to (like my other favorite book, On Writing, by Stephen King.)

What Drove Me Crazy: Nothing, really! The formatting was good, his writing style is familiar but still professional, and he doesn’t spend the whole thing pitching his own projects like a lot of ‘how to write’ books do.

Overall Impressions: Like I said up front, this is one of the best books on writing I’ve ever read. Maybe one of the best books, ever. McConnell says what we all need to hear, no sugar coating, no fluff. If there was a hard cover I’d be buying it and hunting him down for that signature no one apparently asks him for.

I’ve read a lot of books on writing, (and if I’m going to be honest, I often read them as an excuse not to actually write) but this is the first one that had me picking up a pen and raring to go right from the moment I put it down. So I’m going to wrap this up and, well, Finish the Damn Book.

Cost: $4.96 on amazon, and worth every single penny.

Recommend to a Friend: 100%. I’ve already sent it to my mom, my best friend, and my sister. I’m going to tweet about it right away. And I’m adding it to the List of Awesome, because it absolutely belongs there.

My Amazon Review:

*General ratings giving an idea of the age appropriateness of the story. This is not meant as any kind of ‘ranking’ system.